Mother, Nurse and Infant / A Manual Especially Adapted for the Guidance of Mothers and Monthly Nurses, Comprising Full Instruction in Regard To Pregnancy, Preparation for Child-birth, and the Care of Mother and Child, and Designed to Impart so Much Knowledge of Anatomy, Physiology, Midwifery, and the Proper Use of Medicines as Will Serve Intelligently to Direct the Wife, Mother and Nurse in All Emergencies.

by S. P. Sackett

14. Do not light a sick room at night by means of a jet of gas burning low.

15. Preferably use sperm candles.

16. Do not have the temperature of the sick room much above 60°.

17. Do not allow offensive matters to remain; but in a case of emergency where these cannot be removed at once, you can wring a heavy cloth out of cold water and use as a cover, placing over this ordinary paper.

18. Do not neglect during the day to attend to necessaries for the night, that the rest of the patient and family be not disturbed.

19. To avoid making a noise by throwing coals on the fire, place it in paper bags and lay them on the fire.

20. Do not lean or sit upon the bed, if this is disagreeable to the patient.

21. Always remember that nothing which contributes to the welfare of those who require the nurse’s care, is too trivial to demand her attention.

22. The following may by some be called little matters, but attention to them will add materially to the well being of the sick: Refrain from constant enquiries of patients as to how they feel, for sick people are easily annoyed; anticipate the wants of your patient if possible; never tiptoe about the room; if the patient is very sick have the courage to tell the friends who call that the invalid cannot see friends, if able to see them their stay must not be prolonged; do not allow a patient to sit up in bed without covering the shoulders with some light wrap; support them properly with pillows, or a chair and pillows; when obliged to leave the room take something with you which is no longer needed, and bring back necessary articles, thus saving annoyance to the patient and labor to yourself.

23. To AVOID MISTAKES IN GIVING MEDICINE it is a good rule to always read the label before and after measuring the dose; no medicine should ever be given in the dark; tie a ribbon on bottles that contain remedies for external use; shake a bottle before opening it; do not leave a bottle uncorked; generally keep medicines in a dark closet which is cool as possible; have every medicine that is dangerous taken internally labeled “poison”; keep them under lock and key.